AMECEA: Bishop Lungu disappointed with Parents who take advantage of Minor Seminaries for their personal gain
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| Bishop George Lungu (left) and Bishop Montfort Stima |
Rt. Rev. George Cosmas Zumaire Lungu, Bishop of the Catholic
Diocese of Chipata in Zambia, has expressed his great disappointment to parents
who send their children to Minor Seminaries with intent to get quality education
yet not encouraging them to proceed with the priestly formation.
Speaking during the Assessment of Priests’ Performance workshop
organized by AMECEA Pastoral department, Bishop Lungu said, “If a parent sends
a boy to the Minor Seminary, with the intention that the boy would go for
further studies and get a better job and have a better future, what you are
doing means literally denying another boy with genuine vocation a chance. That
is a lost opportunity for getting a priest,” Bishop Lungu explained.
organized by AMECEA Pastoral department, Bishop Lungu said, “If a parent sends
a boy to the Minor Seminary, with the intention that the boy would go for
further studies and get a better job and have a better future, what you are
doing means literally denying another boy with genuine vocation a chance. That
is a lost opportunity for getting a priest,” Bishop Lungu explained.
Bishop further said, “In my Diocese, Chipata, my predecessor put
in place a Minor Seminary and that facility is supposed to be a place of
formation and discernment for a boy who is supposed to proceed to the Major Seminary.
Now if I have 20 boys in a class for instance for five years in the seminary
for secondary education, hoping that I am discerning with them, I am forming
them in view of them entering a Major Seminary and at the end I am having
nobody or just a single boy, what does that say? It means that these boys
haven’t been honest, either the boys themselves or the parents.”
in place a Minor Seminary and that facility is supposed to be a place of
formation and discernment for a boy who is supposed to proceed to the Major Seminary.
Now if I have 20 boys in a class for instance for five years in the seminary
for secondary education, hoping that I am discerning with them, I am forming
them in view of them entering a Major Seminary and at the end I am having
nobody or just a single boy, what does that say? It means that these boys
haven’t been honest, either the boys themselves or the parents.”
The Bishop explained that some parents know very well that their
children have not exhibited signs of becoming a priest and have not even
mentioned the desire of becoming a priest; deliberately bring their children to
the Minor Seminaries because they are aware that the facilities will offer them
a quality education. Some parents prefer that when their sons get grade A in
all the subjects, they should join Universities; something which Bishop Lungu described
it as a pure dishonest.
children have not exhibited signs of becoming a priest and have not even
mentioned the desire of becoming a priest; deliberately bring their children to
the Minor Seminaries because they are aware that the facilities will offer them
a quality education. Some parents prefer that when their sons get grade A in
all the subjects, they should join Universities; something which Bishop Lungu described
it as a pure dishonest.
“We invest a lot in the junior seminaries, that project is not
meant to form Christians; but Priests. The notion that in the future these
people will become good Christians! is not accepted. That is not the idea of a
Minor Seminary. We invest a lot in that institution; just an example, in my Minor
seminary I have four priests, these I could have sent them to a Parish because
there are communities who are in need of Priests, but I do that because I know
that if I don’t take care of the fountain where priests come from, then we will
have no future prospects for our Diocese. Also, as I am getting money from Rome;
and instead of using that money for other projects, I sent it to the seminary
because we don’t want them to run short of their very basic essentials,” he
said.
meant to form Christians; but Priests. The notion that in the future these
people will become good Christians! is not accepted. That is not the idea of a
Minor Seminary. We invest a lot in that institution; just an example, in my Minor
seminary I have four priests, these I could have sent them to a Parish because
there are communities who are in need of Priests, but I do that because I know
that if I don’t take care of the fountain where priests come from, then we will
have no future prospects for our Diocese. Also, as I am getting money from Rome;
and instead of using that money for other projects, I sent it to the seminary
because we don’t want them to run short of their very basic essentials,” he
said.
“Unfortunately the boys often disappear upon completing their
education and this makes the project wasteful in terms of the aim that it was
started,” he said. He is convinced that Minor Seminaries are very essential for
the formation of future priests because there isn’t much formation in the
Christian families and so the facilities offer a privileged place where the Church
can form young boys. He
education and this makes the project wasteful in terms of the aim that it was
started,” he said. He is convinced that Minor Seminaries are very essential for
the formation of future priests because there isn’t much formation in the
Christian families and so the facilities offer a privileged place where the Church
can form young boys. He
“We need Priests for sure,” he said adding that “Priests play very
important roles in our societies and without them there would be no Sacraments,
and no Sacraments means no Church. We need Priests, especially in Africa where you
find that some communities go for months without the Eucharist, without
confessions, some even die without receiving that sacrament of anointing.
important roles in our societies and without them there would be no Sacraments,
and no Sacraments means no Church. We need Priests, especially in Africa where you
find that some communities go for months without the Eucharist, without
confessions, some even die without receiving that sacrament of anointing.
Bishop Lungu appealed to families to respect the purpose for which
the junior seminaries have been established. “Deception will make the whole Catholic
family suffer for lack of priests.,” he said.
the junior seminaries have been established. “Deception will make the whole Catholic
family suffer for lack of priests.,” he said.
By Pamela Adinda, AMECEA Online
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